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Under-fire captain Michael Vaughan was given an early opportunity to direct attention towards on-field action in the third npower Test at Old Trafford as England reached 112 for one at lunch against West Indies.

Vaughan, 32, walked out to bat to a mixture of boos and cheers having been caught up in a controversy over his comments criticising the drunken World Cup antics of local hero Andrew Flintoff.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat first, he was given an early opportunity to appease the Lancastrians due to Andrew Strauss’ continued poor form – and he took his chance with an unbeaten 40, while in-form opener Alastair Cook celebrated another half-century.

Entering the Test needing victory to not only seal the series but also become the most successful England captain in history, Vaughan did not have to wait long to enter the action as Strauss’ woeful trot continued.

A delivery from Jerome Taylor in the third over of the morning, which pitched on the line of leg-stump, led to a successful leg-before appeal.

Vaughan, whose previous match on this ground was crowned with an Ashes hundred, got off the mark with a fortuitous four, the ball careering to third man as he withdrew the bat at Taylor.

It proved a profitable stroke for Vaughan early on as another retraction of the bat off the recalled Fidel Edwards resulted in the ball flying over the slips.

Second-wicket partner Cook was finding the ropes in more conventional manner, however, as England finished the session on top.